Spirited Away

Hayao Miyazakihas been guide and animating films for ten , and each one of his motion picture has receive nearly universal plaudit . Miyazaki is one of the beginner of Studio Ghibli , a Japanese animation studio that has been raise film since the mid-’80s , and their unbelievable prowess , original stories , and relatable characters put them among the ranking of the best - animated features of all time . As an animator and manager , Miyazaki has a significant role in the initiation of all his movies , and each is deeply emotional and very human , despite many of them having fantastical options and plots .

Miyazaki is good cognise as the director and author of his 11Studio Ghibli movies , none of which has a Rotten Tomatoes grade under 87 % . He has also been nominate three prison term for Best Animated feature of speech at the Academy Awards , winning once . These motion-picture show hold back unique stories with memorable graphic symbol and stage setting that often have one person , usually a young girl , grow up through the trials and challenges of the narrative . Every one of Miyazaki ’s flick is worth discuss at length no matter their ranking , but these are his absolute best .

tie in : The 10 Most Memorable Studio Ghibli Characters Of All Time

Spirited Away Movie Poster

11The Castle Of Cagliostro (1979)

The Castle of Cagliostro(a.k.a . Lupin III : The Castle of Cagliostro ) is the first animated feature directed by Hayao Miyazaki . While it was made before the studio ’s creation , it ’s amanga adaptation , like many of Studio Ghibli ’s movies . It focuses on the far-famed thief character Arsène Lupin III , created by Kazuhiko Katō , following him as he pluck a casino and then travels to the country of Cagliostro to rescue its princess from a scheming reckoning . Though it was n’t initially a striking , The Castle of Cagliostrofound succeeder through re - releases , and its rollicking , slap - stick adventure influence can be seen in many American animated films , such asAtlantis : The Lost Empire .

10Ponyo (2008)

After making a number of films for more mature audience , Hayao Miyazaki give with a film for tike . Ponyo , like all his films , still has much for adult , but the stakes are noticeably lower here . The title character is a goldfish - similar tool who desires to become a human . Her relationship with humans , including a young boy diagnose Sōsuke and ( in the English - oral communication dub ) aBetty White - voiced grannie , her huffy and delightful nature , and her clash with her traditional father make for a literal fish - out - of - water movie that ’s delightful and poignant . Miyazaki is famed for his aerial animations , butPonyoshows he is just as masterful at produce H2O prospect .

9Castle In The Sky (1986)

Castle in the Skyis Hayao Miyazaki ’s third picture show and the first produced by Studio Ghibli . It follow a son and a princess as they seek to protect a crystal from pirates and politics agents , who are dented on weaponizing it and the secret city that it ensure . Castle in the Sky ’s narrative involves robot , bury kingdoms , conjuration , and airships , making it one of the first modern steampunk motion-picture show . Its colourful aesthetic and vibrant characters , particularly the pirate gang who go from being villain to allies , make even thealtered English - language interlingual rendition ofCastle in the Skyone of the core fairytale film text , influencing others in the musical style since .

8Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind (1984)

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Windis an early lesson of Hayao Miyazaki ’s focus on anti - war and pro - environmental electronic messaging . Nausicaä is the princess of a tribe living on Earth millennia after an apocalyptic war destruct most of human society and depart much of the land an uninhabitable , venomous barren only travelable by mammoth , panoplied insects that survived and be peacefully even as the humans continue to state of war . The film is massive in telescope , and its success avail lead to the ontogeny of Studio Ghibli a year later . Miyazaki is also a gifted manga author , and this is an adaptation of his own comical series of the same name .

Related:10 Most Iconic smell From Studio Ghibli Movies

7The Wind Rises (2013)

Hayao Miyazaki has a well - document love of aircraft , aerial technology , and all things having to do with flight . A testimonial to that subject , The Wind Risesis a biographic story of Jiro Horikoshi , an aircraft designer whose planes were used during World War II — which he regret . The Wind Riseswas nominate for Best Animated characteristic at the 2014 Academy Awards and has an 88 % scotch on Rotten Tomatoes . It ’s an incredibly honest look at an inspiring but tragic life . Horikoshi does realize his aspiration of creating beautiful aircraft but how his aim are used in war makes for anemotional ending for the Studio Ghibli movie .

6Porco Rosso (1992)

The title character ofPorco Rossois a misanthropical Italian World War I ace who now vanish around Italy fighting pirates and by and large doing whatever he need . What set him apart from others , however , is that he has been cursed with a copper head through some unexplained mean value . It ’s a mix of swashbuckling dangerous undertaking , distaff authorisation ( with Fio Piccolo the hot-tempered woman mechanic ) , and melancholy sadness with the war that caused everything in the first place . The film has a 95 % score on Rotten Tomatoes thanks in part to its unique looking at at the classic Cuban sandwich story , never paint Porco totally as the ripe guy wire he seems to be .

5Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

ululation ’s Moving Castleis based on the bookof the same name and was deservedly put up for Best Animated Feature at the 76th Academy Awards . The motion-picture show ’s fantastical storytelling can be gainsay , as it sometimes feel like there are two unlike plots extend on , one with Howl as he tries to avoid push in a destructive war , and one with Sophie as she try out to count on out how to transmute from an old lady back into a untested woman after being cursed by a hag . Despite this , the detail of the magical world and the taradiddle arc of Sophie make it one of Hayao Miyazaki ’s most gripping films .

4Princess Mononoke (1997)

Japanese folklore is a major ingredient of many Miyazaki cinema , andPrincess Mononokepairs its mythological characterswith an environmental and anti - war message to make an heroic and often scary tale . In the motion-picture show , Prince Ashitaka die on a journeying to cure himself of a demon ’s swearword , and his travels put him in the middle of a war between an industrial order , boars , speak wolves , and powerful timber spirits . Ashitaka and the wolf - princess San have a well - developed human relationship that tally a amorous and hump ticker to a movie meet with vehemence and danger . Princess Mononokeexamines how the pursuit of exponent even in the name of safety can be destructive .

Related : Princess Mononoke ’s Main Characters , Ranked By intelligence operation

3Kiki’s Delivery Service (1988)

Hayao Miyazaki is notable in that many of his celluloid follow distaff protagonists . Kiki ’s Delivery Serviceisanother of Miyazaki ’s feminist worksas it follows a young witch Kiki , who leaves home , as all witches do , to discover a line and start live independently . She run through ups and downs as she settles into her fresh life and has to contend with her powers weaken . It ’s a beautiful celluloid with a perfect setting for the convinced and adventurous Kiki , who loses her confidence and powers and gains them back all on her own .

2My Neighbor Totoro (1989)

My Neighbor Totorois a movie take aim primarily at children , and yet it has some of the most matured and grownup composition out of all of Hayao Miyazaki ’s filmography . Thecast and characters ofMy Neighbor Totoroinclude the Kusakabe family . There ’s the 10 - year - old sis Satsuki , 4 - class - onetime Mei , and their forefather , Tatsuo , who all move into a large , but old , home close to the hospital where their mother is recovering from an illness . In their new home , Mei and Satsuki discover three pointy - eared and downy forest John Barleycorn . The largest of the liquor , Totoro , becomes a friend and source of familiarity during a tough time .

There are no villain inMy NeighborTotoro , and the biggest source of conflict comes when Mei conk out missing and Satsuki and the titular spirit lookup for her . With such modest stakes , the moving picture does n’t seem like it should work , but the young little girl ' kinship with each other and their new life is refreshfully real . The sisters are among the bestfemale persona in Studio Ghibli movies . They fight and cod but at last love each other , and the world through their eyes is simultaneously scarey and awe-inspiring . What it lacks in complexity it more than makes up for in heart . It ’s a quiet and moving film that anyone can love .

Studio ghibli meaning spirited away

A car with a gun on top drives away from a plane shooting at it.

Ponyo in her half-fish form covered by a bubble

Pazu and Sheeta hugging as they look over the castle in the sky.

Nausicaa flying her glider in Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

An image of two characters painting a picture in The Wind Rises

Fio Piccolo and Porco Rosso standing next to each other in front of flying flags.

Howl and Sophie cook over Calcifer in Howl’s Moving Castle

Princess Mononoke riding a wolf and Ashitaka riding his red elk.

Kiki flying on her broom with Jiji the cat amongst Seagulls in Kikis Delivery Service

Mei and Satsuki standing in the rain next to Totoro

Movies

Spirited Away

My Neighbor Totoro